Bleeding Love
by mtomaone
Summary: This JaSam short story takes place two weeks after Jake dies in 2011. There were some rumors that Sam's headaches were going to be diagnosed and this story is how Jason and Sam deal.
1. Chapter 1

Two weeks ago he had a son, a vibrant healthy son, and now two weeks later his son is long gone and buried in a tiny white casket. From the moment he heard about the hit and run that killed his son, his head swam with the many regrets that he had in his life. His biggest regret was not claiming Jake in the first place, his second biggest was not telling Sam, the woman that he loved more than life itself that he had fathered a child with another woman, the third biggest was listening to the mother of said child. If he had only told Sam the moment he stepped off the elevator after the Metro Court explosion, if he had only explained to her that he wanted to marry her and claim his child, if he had only grew some balls and taken control of his life, than none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have had to bury another child, he wouldn't have lost another child. NO, instead he listened to the one person that caused this heartache, the one person that should have been watching his son as she had promised to because she had told me that his life was too dangerous, Elizabeth Webber.

Looking out the balcony doors in his penthouse at Harbor View Towers, Jason shook his head at thinking of the short life that Jake led. In the three years that Jake was alive that little baby boy has been kidnapped twice, in a house fire, and… and killed by a car, and only one of those four things did it have anything to do with his dangerous life, when he was kidnapped by the Russians. The others were due to the incompetency and negligence of the one person he had told him that his life was too dangerous. She made him feel that he wasn't good enough, that he didn't deserve to see his son and because of that stupid mistake of not claiming his child, he had not only lost the woman that he loved all those years ago due to HIS lies but he lost his son as well. If he had only claimed Jake than maybe his son would have been with him and Sam that night, if he had only claimed his son than he would've had a guard posted outside of Elizabeth's house to make sure that his son was safe. If there had been a guard there, then he would've seen Jake and stopped him from running out into the road (something his mother should've done). Instead Jason stands looking out into the harbor, thinking of what ifs and regrets. But among all this darkness of hate and regret that he feels for himself and at his deceased son's mother, came a ray of light from the woman that he loves, Sam. She was there for him, she picked him up, let him cry, heard his sobs, his sorry, his regrets, and turned them into hope. She was his hope, she was his future and with all the good and bad that has happened to them, they would get through it…. Together.

A knock on the penthouse door brought Jason out of his thoughts. He quickly brushed the tears from his eyes and made his way towards his door. Opening it, he found Detective Dante Falconeri on the other side. "Hey…" Jason said as he stepped back for him to enter. "Come in."

Taking his appearance, Dante knew that this had to be hard for him. Lulu had told him that Jason was really Jake's father and Dante couldn't help but to feel sorry for the guy. "Ah, listen, I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss."

Nodding in appreciation, Jason closed the door and faced him. Him and the detective have never and probably would never be friends but they had one goal in common, one person that they both loved to protect, Michael. "Thanks. Is that why you came by?"

Looking around the penthouse for a particular person, Dante faced Jason again. "Actually, I'm looking for Sam." Looking towards the staircase, remembering how many times he had seen her run down them ready to battle with him to protect Jason, he questioned. "Is she here?"

Shaking his head, Jason furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, wondering what he would want with HIS girlfriend. "No, she should be at the office."

"Oh… I… uh called but she didn't pick up." Dante said suddenly feeling a little unwelcome.

Jason shrugged his shoulders. "She's probably busy." Jason noted the sudden uncomfortable tension that came from Dante. Normally he hated to interfere in Sam's business but keeping her safe and happy was Jason's number one priority, he couldn't help but ask. "What do you want from her?"

How was he supposed to answer that? What did he want from her? He wasn't sure himself what he wanted from her. From the first moment he met Sam he had felt an undeniable pull towards her but chose to keep it to himself. She never gave him the time of day and before he could pursue her further, he heard that she was already back with her old boyfriend, mob enforcer and boss at the time while he was under cover, Jason Morgan. When she came to him to confess that she thought she was the one to hit Jake, the attraction to her only grew and he wasn't sure what to do about it. Ever since that night of her confession, they had been working together to prove her innocence, all the while getting closer, and Dante couldn't be more confused if he tried. He loved Lulu, he truly did, but Sam brings out something inside of him that he couldn't explain. He knew about her close relationship with Jason but Dante also knew one thing that Jason didn't, and that was the fact that Sam had been having intense migraines since she had been released from the hospital and she made Dante promise not to tell Jason. A secret. A secret between them. What did that mean? So what did he want from her? He still didn't know. "I uh… just came to tell her and you too actually that recent evidence came up to point Lisa Niles as the driver behind the car that killed your son." He paused to gauge Jason's reaction and when he saw no emotion, Dante figured that he already knew. "But… I'm sure that Spinelli had already informed you of that by now…" He shook his head and walked towards the door eager to get to Sam's office. "You know, I don't know why I waste my time if you already have someone hacking into the PCPD files." He said as he opened the door, but before he walked out he turned back to the enforcer. "She's currently in custody and is being charged with Vehicular Manslaughter. I'm hoping she makes it to the courtroom and then to lock up. Look Jason, I knew that he was your son, but she needs to suffer the best way possible for what she did, and a 10 or more years behind bars is the best."

For the first time in history, Jason actually agreed with the man. He knew that it was an accident, but she should've gotten out of the car and helped out. She was a doctor for God's sake, but he couldn't place the blame solely on Lisa Niles, that blame originated at the hands of a Nurse. Nodding Jason surprised Dante with his agreement. "I will let the PCPD handle this." And before he shut the door, he looked the detective square in the eye. "AND… I'll let Sam know." Jason said informing him that he doesn't need to talk to HIS girlfriend, he would be happy to pass the news.

Nodding, Dante stepped out, not wanting to tell the man that he was actually going to the office to talk to Sam anyways and to check up on her, he walked towards the elevator, more than ready to leave. He wanted to tell her the news about Lisa himself and he wanted to make sure that she didn't have a headache and to beg her to go to see a doctor. At hearing the penthouse door close, Dante let out a breath that he was currently holding. He was tempted and conflicted to tell Jason the truth behind Sam's symptoms. But he had promised her to keep that to himself.

Ever since Sam had came to him at the PCPD and told him that she may have been the one to hit Jake, Dante felt an overwhelming pull towards her. He had recently learned that when she first came to town she was pregnant with Sonny's child, the baby was going to be his little sister. Even though the baby didn't live, they still had a connection of some sorts. According to some evidence that came about, he didn't believe that Sam was the one to hit Jake and he felt compelled to help her clear her name. She had told him that she had a headache that night when she was driving on that same road where Jake was found and the next thing she remembers was waking up in her car in a ditch. According to forensics done on her car, it came up clean and the timeline from when she was on road to when the Webber-Spencers were home didn't match up. Sam had called for a tow truck, and the timing of that phone call was placed before Jake was hit. He had helped her clear her name all while promising to keep her secret that she had been having headache's for the past two weeks straight that have resulted in a few black outs. He was amazed that Jason had never noticed but he knew that it was because Jason was too caught up in his own grief to notice that his girlfriend was sick. Only Dante noticed. Only he noticed her headaches, her pains, her weight loss, her pale skin, her life practically draining out of her. It didn't take a detective to notice. But he had. Why hadn't Jason?

Sitting at her desk in her office, for the past 30 minutes, Sam had rested her head in her hands and her fingers rubbed her temples to hopefully relieve the headache that has been growing nonstop from the first moment she woke up. She had just taken her medication 10 minutes ago and she couldn't wait until they finally kicked in, she was just afraid that she had taken them too late. The headache that started had now formed into a migraine and the pills that Patrick had prescribed her were really no match. They would take the edge off but they wouldn't clear it up. He had prescribed a month's worth two weeks ago, take 2 a time as needed every 12 hours, 60 pills. Now she was down to less than 20 pills. She knew there was no way she was going to make it to a month without going back to him, so she has had to cut way back and live with the edge that has been slicing through her skull.

She let out a deep sigh, knowing that she wouldn't be getting anything done when she could be home sleeping, Sam powers off her computer, grabs her keys, bag and folders and starts for her office door. More than ready to get home, into her comfortable pajamas, and in her warm cozy bed in the arms of the man she loves. She felt guilty not telling Jason about her headaches but she didn't want to add that on top of everything that he has been dealing with, especially the loss of his son. She needed to take care of Jason, the same way he took care of her when her daughter died, not the other way around. Walking towards the door, her hand suddenly flew to her temple as a sharp pain suddenly took over, causing her tremendous pain and blurring her vision. And before she could take another step, she blacked out and dropped to the floor.

That was how Spinelli found her.

************************************

Walking up to the offices of McCall and Jakyll, the Jakyll was excited to see Fair Samantha to tell her the good news about the memoirs of his Jakyll PI book featuring Stone Cold. It was to be published by the end of the week and he wanted to celebrate with his partner. He knew that Jason wasn't happy about his place in Spinelli's book, but Sam was more than thrilled. And here he was, he was going to take her out to dinner to celebrate and maybe come up with ideas for his next book. Opening the office door, Spinelli glided through. "I come bearing…." He started to shout happily and wanted to say 'Great news' but cut himself short when he saw his partner basically lifeless, passed out on the floor. "Fair Samantha!" He dropped down to her, shaking her lightly. "Samantha! Fair Samantha! Tis I the Jakyll! Arise!" He called out to her as he lightly slapped her cheek. Hearing her moan, Spinelli let out the breath that he had been holding.

"Spinelli…?" She groaned softly as she furrowed her eyes in confusion and looked around her. She couldn't understand why she was on the floor.

"That's it, wake up Sleeping Beauty…" Spinelli softly coaxed as he tried to help her sit up. "Easy Fair Samantha, take it easy…" He was grateful to see that she was awake but needed to get to the bottom of this. "Does Fair Samantha know what transpired?"

Shaking her head no, was a big mistake. Her headache was just worse, if at all possible, than before. "No. I had a headache and… and was on my way home when I blacked out."

"Isn't this the second time that this has happened?" He questioned at first but when he saw the guilt that had crossed her face he knew that it has happened many times before. "Has Fair Samantha told Stone Cold? Or perhaps the Good Doctor Drake?"

"No Spinelli…" Sam said straightening out. "Jason doesn't need to worry about me and yes Patrick knows. He told me that this might happen." She gathered her things again and headed towards the door, ready to leave so that Spinelli doesn't find out more.

"But Stone Cold would want to know…" Before he could continue, Sam stopped him.

"NO! Jason doesn't need to know. He has enough to worry about, he just lost his son for Heaven's sake, he doesn't need to worry about some stupid headaches." She opened the door to leave but stopped to turn back to him. "Promise me that you won't say anything to him." She paused but when he shook his head no, she pressed. "Promise Spinelli!"

"Fine, the Jakyll promises not to say anything." And when he heard Sam leave and close the door, Spinelli finished his promise. "For now." He said defeated. He knew that Sam was tough but sometimes she was just too stubborn for her own damn good. Walking towards his desk, Spinelli wasn't in the mood to celebrate anymore, instead he pulled out his trusty laptop and proceeded to find the Balkan, somewhere in France. Instead of concentrating, his thoughts were plagued by telling his mentor what has been happening with his beloved… To tell or not to tell.

************************************

Walking, more like stumbling through the walls of her office hallway towards the elevator. Sam had to squint at the bright lights that surrounded her, more like attacked her. Each bulb was directed at her eyes shooting powerful beams of light, magnifying her pain. She was just about to rub her temples as she walked but suddenly stumbled over her feet and was about to fall into the open doors of the elevator when she was suddenly surrounded by two warm, strong arms engulfing her, her head colliding gently with his chest. Looking up, she looked right into the deep brown eyes, so much like his father's, Dante. She often wondered, ever since she learned that Dante was Sonny's son, did her daughter have Dante's eyes, deep brown like hers but shaped different. It was something she often wondered, and yet something she would never know.

"Wouhh, Sam?" Dante held onto her tightly against his chest. He couldn't help but feel how comfortable it felt to hold her, how right it felt. "Are you ok? Sam? Is it another headache? Sam?" Each question came with a little more panic.

"Shhhh…" She whispered as she closed her eyes and rested her head again his chest as the elevator descended down to the ground floor. She felt awkward, being in Dante's arms. After working together to clear her name, she felt close to him. This man was going to be her baby's older brother. If she had lived, he would've protected her, loved her, cared for her, just as he does for Kristina and his other siblings. She felt a connection to him, but it was more brotherly than anything. She felt somewhat comfortable in Dante's arms, but she wanted someone else's wrapped around her. "Jason…" She whispered out, almost calling to him. As if he had heard her, her cell phone suddenly rang. Gaining back her composure, she pulled away from Dante to answer her phone. Instantly feeling better to hear Jason's voice, the headache was still there, but the pills and Jason finally took the edge off. After telling him that she was on her way, she closed the phone and placed it in her pocket. "Sorry about that…"

A little pissed off and a little hurt Dante couldn't stop his next words. "Damn it Sam, you need to see Patrick." He felt a little guilty at his raised voice, especially at seeing her flinch.

"I already did, he said that this was normal."

"Normal my ass. You have had a migraine everyday for the past two weeks, you've blacked out more times than you can remember, and…" He reached into her bag to steal her pills, pulling them out of reach when she yelled out. "You've been popping these like they were Pez candies. You need to tell him, or at least tell Jason."

Snatching the pills back from him, she stepped off of the elevator. "YOU NEED to mind your own damn business and stay the HELL out of MINE!" She angrily said as she stepped out into the cool night air. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards her car.

Catching up to her, Dante reached out to grab her arm. "I can't let you drive Sam."

"Take your damn hands off of me!" She pulled out from his grip.

"Why are you being so damn stubborn? Why are you so against seeing a doctor, huh, what are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything…"

"BULLSHIT! You're afraid that this is something worse, you're afraid at what you'll find out, of what's really wrong with you."

"There is NOTHING wrong with me and I don't need a damn doctor." She started for her car again, unlocking her doors.

"So what then Sam? Live the rest of your life with migraines, passing out, waiting for the next one to end your life. Is that what this is about? Do you have some sort of death wish or something?"

"Excuse me…" She whirled around, fire melting her tear filled eyes.

Seeing her teary eyes, Dante knew that this wasn't the right approach or the right way to handle this but he needed to ask. "I know about you losing your daughter, my sister, and…" He spoke louder to continue at seeing her opening her mouth to stop him. "And you lost your brother. Is this some way of thinking that if you die, that you'll finally be with them, that you'll finally see them again in Heaven."

She couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She had to admit that there were times were she thought of that exact same thing, but one person had stopped her from thinking that, Jason. "This has nothing to do with them." She whispered. Turning back to her car, she opened her door. "I need to get home."

"LOOK! I'm just trying to help ok, at least just let me drop you off at Jason's. I don't want you to drive in this condition." He said holding out his hand for her keys.

Knowing that he was right, she really was in no condition to drive. She dropped the keys in his hand and made her way to the passenger side. They made their way to Harbor View Towers in silence, and Sam was grateful for it. Stopping out front, Dante put the car in park and got out. "I can make it fine on my own." Sam said as she saw him making his way towards her.

"Just let me see you safe to the penthouse and I'll leave. Besides, I don't really feel like dying tonight if something were to happen to you." He joked hoping it will get her to smile. He hated seeing her upset, especially if it had to do with him.

"Fine." Sam said rolling her eyes and smiling at his humor. As they made it to the front steps of Jason's penthouse, Sam turned to Dante. "Thank you and sorry about snapping at you back there."

"You're welcome, and you can make it up to me by going to see the doctor…" He held up his hand to stop her from interrupting. "Please don't tell me this is normal, because you know that's not true. Look Sam, there are a lot of people that care about you, your mother, your sisters, Spinelli, me, Jason and many others. We don't want anything to happen to you. I just found a new friend and I don't want to lose you." He could see that he was winning the argument but continued, hating his next words. "And besides, Jason just lost his son, I don't think he is ready to have something bad happen to you too." He held out his hands and embraced her in a tight hug, elated that she was in his arms and happy that she was listening to him.

Nodding, Sam couldn't stop the tears that ran down her cheeks. She was scared, plain and simple. She knew this wasn't normal but she was afraid of what it might mean, of what the doctors would find. Before she could pull back to 'Thank' him once again, the penthouse doors opened up to reveal a pretty pissed off Jason standing in the doorway watching the detective hug HIS girlfriend.


	2. Chapter 2

_"_ _And besides, Jason just lost his son, I don't think he is ready to have something bad happen to you too." He held out his hands and embraced her in a tight hug, elated that she was in his arms and happy that she was listening to him._

 _Nodding, Sam couldn't stop the tears that ran down her cheeks. She was scared, plain and simple. She knew this wasn't normal but she was afraid of what it might mean, of what the doctors would find. Before she could pull back to Thank him once again, the penthouse doors opened up to reveal a pretty pissed off Jason standing in the doorway watching the detective hug HIS girlfriend._

Jason sat alone on his couch in his penthouse feeling the darkness spreading over him, consuming his very soul and the only person that could heal him was Sam. He hadn't talked to her in a few hours, he knew she was probably busy but he couldn't help but call her. He needed to hear her voice, he needed the assurance that only she could give him, that he was alive. That was how she made him feel, alive. She made him feel worthy, she made him want to be a better man, she just made him feel. He needed her now, and when he heard the voices outside of his penthouse door he felt relief that she had come home. A frown found its way on his face when he realized that she wasn't alone and when he didn't hear her knock or simply let herself in, he stood up and opened the door only to find the one thing that would always boil his blood with liquid hot anger, Sam in the arms of another man especially a man who had for some reason been following Sam like a lost puppy, Dante. "Do you mind taking your damn hands off my girlfriend." It wasn't a question but a statement, a bold 'stay away from my woman' statement.

Instantly Sam stiffened in Dante's arms, she hadn't meant to linger but with the dizziness that was accompanying the headache started to take affect and blur her vision and throw her balance off course. Looking up at her love that was dangerously brooding at door entrance, apology clear in her tear filled eyes and tear streaked face. "Jason, I…." And before she could get another word in, a wave of nausea suddenly consumed her. Her hand instantly flew to her mouth, reaching out, she shoved Jason aside ignoring the hurt look in his eyes at her dismissal, as she ran to the downstairs bathroom. She knew she didn't have enough time to make it the second floor.

Jason could tell that something was wrong the minute she looked at him, of course he knew that she would never seek comfort elsewhere unless he had provoked her to do so, so he knew something bad had to have happened. He tried to reach out to her but she had pushed him aside, and for a second, for a split tiny second he felt rejected until his brain finally processed that she was sick, he started after her but he stopped short, she probably needed to be alone. He would give her that, but only for a minute. Guilt then fury took over the darkness that loomed over him once again when she wasn't in the room. Turning to Dante who made his way past the threshold, he was tempted to do several bad things. He was conflicted, a part of him wanted to shove him out of his home and slam the door in his face, a part of him wanted to beat the shit out of him for everything that he had done, but the rational part of wanted answers. For Sam, he needed answers. "What the Hell happened? What's going on?"

Shaking his head, Dante chuckled in a mix between amusement and disbelief. "You know, if you hadn't been so Hell bent on revenge against the Balkan or so consumed with grief, you would know. If you could for once in your life pay attention to your girlfriend, you would know that something is wrong with her." He knew deep down that he had no right to judge, after all the man just lost his son two weeks ago, but how could he not see what was happening in front of him? Did he forget that she was in an explosion? Was he so consumed with himself that he couldn't take a minute to inquire about the well being of the woman he claimed to love?

Clenching his fists at his sides to prevent from attacking the little BOY in front of him, Jason spoke through gritted teeth. "What's wrong with her?"

"I think you need to ask her."

"I'm asking you!" Jason couldn't help the tone and volume of his raised voice. He waited, not so patiently for his answer.

Taking a deep breath, Dante had decided that he couldn't keep her secret any longer, he needed to tell Jason so that at least one of them was going to make sure that she was taken care of. "Sam has been…" Before he could get his sentence out, Spinelli came bursting through the already opened door.

"I'm sorry but the Jakyll can no longer remain silent, he must tell Stone Cold the depressing matter that which ails Fair Samantha!" He shouted purposely interrupting the two. He didn't know what they were talking about but at this point he didn't care, he needed to tell his master the news in order to save his partners life. "The Jaykll fears that the Goddess' cerebral assaults are far more detrimental than any of us have feared for the lovely Fair Samantha has one too often graciously accepted the journey to the dark void." He hurried out so that nothing would stop him from expressing his worry.

Jason barely understands Spinelli half of the time, and since his mind is too consumed with worry for Sam, he didn't understand what he was saying. "What about Sam?"

If Dante didn't know what was going on, he probably wouldn't have understood either. "What he means is that Sam has been having really bad migraines."

Nodding his head, that much Jason knew. "Yeah, the doctor said that they're normal."

"Is it normal to have one everyday? Is it normal to have one so bad that you pass out from them? Since we have worked together, she has had passed out twice, once the night of the accident and once I found her slumped over her desk at the office." Before he continued, Spinelli raised his hand to speak.

"Ah, the Jakyll, as was previously stating, found the Fair Samantha today as well on the hard unforgiving floor in the offices of McCall and Jakyll PI."

That got Dante's attention. "She didn't say anything when I saw her at the office."

Now THAT got Jason's attention. "You mean to tell me that after you left here, you went to see Sam?" Fury started to seep in again. Blind, unforgiving fury. He TOLD him that HE was the one that was going to tell her. Dante had no business going near her or her office.

Knowing that he was caught, Dante tried to diffuse the situation. "That doesn't matter right now, you need to focus on what's important. Sam. This isn't normal Jason, she needs help."

Jason had to take several deep breaths to calm down, he knew that whatever Dante's agenda towards Sam wasn't important right now, she however was and will always be the most important thing to him. Before Jason could say anything, her soft angelic voice eternally claimed his attention. "Jason…" Is was a soft gentle whisper but he could hear the pain behind that sound. Turning to look at the woman before him, Jason took a moment to capture in her appearance. Guilt consumed him once again. He knew that she was having headaches and that she was more tired recently but as he studied her appearance more carefully, he wanted to kick himself for not paying more attention. He noticed that she was smaller than usual, metaphorically and physically. She seemed more timid, more quiet. He could tell that she had lost weight and her eyes looked almost emotionless, but he could see the pain there, he could see the pain that she had been trying to hide from him. "Why didn't you tell me?" Was all he could think of to ask. They promised no more secrets between them, no matter how bad. And even though this really had nothing to do with betrayal or lack of loyalty, he couldn't help but feel left out. Both Spinelli and Dante knew something that he hadn't and he didn't like it one bit.

"I'm sorry…" Words that were a whisper, soft, and sad. She knew she should have told him. Looking down, Sam avoided his magnetic blue eyes. "You were so lost and sad about losing Jake, and… and I wanted to take care of you like the way you took care of me when I lost Lila." With the words, came the tears. Cool tears that flowed down her flushed face.

"No Sam, we… WE lost Lila, and WE took care of each other." Taking a deep breath he needed to make sure that she was alright. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine…" She barely finished that sentence before Dante chimed in.

"NO, you are NOT fine. You need to go to the doctor, you need to get yourself checked out. If not for yourself, do it for your family."

"The Jakyll must agree with the detective." Spinelli knew that Sam was stubborn and he was confident that this little intervention would help.

"Sam… you should've told me…" Jason said as he walked towards her. He wanted to take her in his arms but she looked so fragile, he was scared that she would break. But seeing her standing there, looking like a sad little girl, he chose to do so anyways. He couldn't hold back any longer, he needed her in his arms, to hold her, to touch her, as much as she did. Opening his arms , he engulfed her entire being with a soft warm reassuring loving hug. He gently kissed her forehead, inhaling her sweet scent, and pulled back. "You are the most important person in my life Sam, I need you, and I need you to be ok." He placed another soft kiss only this time on her lips. "Will you please go to the hospital? Please Sam, for me. Please do this for me."

Unable to deny him anything at this point, Sam nodded her head and pulled back slowly, disentangling herself from Jason's arms. "I'll call Patrick in the morning."

Shaking his head Jason looked down at her and made sure to keep her eye contact. "WE… will go to GH in the morning, I'm not taking any chances with you." His tone was gentle but firm, his statement was final, leaving no room for argument. He breathed out a sigh of relief when he watched her nod her head. "Why don't you go upstairs to bed, I'll be up in a minute." He watched as she nodded again and turned for the stairs. He eyed her like a hawk, watching her walk up the stairs, making sure that each step was precise and balanced so that she wouldn't fall. He waited for a moment in the silence and breathed another sigh of relief when he heard his bedroom door closed. Turning, once again he faced the other two that were in his home.

"Uh, the Jakyll will retire to his humble pink room." He walked backwards towards the stairs, noticing the ice cold tension that flowed through both Stone Cold and the Blond One's Detective. As soon as his heels hit the first step, he turned and ran up the stairs to his room.

After Jason made sure that Spinelli was in his room, he glared down at the detective. "Can I talk to you outside for a minute?" He asked trying his hardest to keep his voice calm and collected.

"Sure." Dante said just before he walked in the hallway outside of the penthouse. He knew that this wasn't going to be good, Jason was pissed off at him. In a way he couldn't blame him, after all he told him in not so many words to basically stay away from his girlfriend.

Making sure the door was closed so that Sam wouldn't hear the conversation, Jason faced Dante head on. "Let me start off by saying Thank you." When he saw the confused look on Dante's face, Jason knew that he needed to explain. "You were there to help Sam when I wasn't, you helped her clear her name, and for that I owe you. But…. I can't help but notice that you've been around her a little too often."

"Well maybe someone needed to pay attention to her…" Dante knew that he was on dangerous ground but he didn't appreciate what Jason was insinuating, even though he was correct.

"You may be right, but Sam has always been good at hiding her pain especially when she doesn't want anyone to notice or worry about her. I should have paid more attention, and for that mistake I will always feel guilty. She has done so much for me, more than I could ever do for her. But still, I can't help but think about your role in all of this. What exactly do you hope to gain?"

"What do you mean?" Dante secretly knew what he hoped to gain but a part of him knew that he would never obtain it. Sam's heart.

Jason kept his voice even and cool. "I may be brain damaged, but I'm not blind or stupid, especially when there is an impending threat looming over. I know for the past weeks you and Sam having been working together, and I understand that you have been helping her, but what I have noticed is that you show up any where she is. You show up at our home, at her office, and I've even noticed the phone calls. I'm sure you both have come to a small friendship of sorts. So what I'm asking you is: are you looking for more than friendship from Sam?"

Not sure how to answer that question, Dante chose to stay with the facts. "I love Lulu."

Nodding, Jason smirked, he knew from the fact that since Dante didn't answer his question that his answer was a yes, but he didn't want to admit it. "That may be, but see… there is just something about Sam that gets to you, I know… because that's how I feel. I mean she's… amazing, she's loyal, beautiful, smart, funny, sexy as Hell, and… and… she's just… perfect. She is everything that I have ever needed and wanted, she is perfect to me. She's kind, gentle, hard when she needs to be, she's always been there for me, she is the only one that can make me talk about my feelings, and she gets me. She's easy to love, so I can see if you're having some feelings towards her."

"There is nothing going on between me and Sam."

"That I don't doubt, Sam would never intentionally hurt me and she would never cheat on me. We were meant to be together."

"Conceded much?"

"No, just confident. See, there is something you need to understand about mine and Sam's relationship, we are bounded for life, each other's soul mates. Yeah we have made some big mistakes in the past but that only fueled us to where we are now, our love has grown stronger and is more powerful than ever. And no matter what happens between Sam and I, we will always, ALWAYS find our way back to each other. That is something no one understands. We have the same mind, heart, and soul. We are it for each other and no one, NO ONE will be ever to come between us. So as you try to entertain these delusions that you have about your and Sam's friendship, keep in mind that, that's all it's ever going to be, is friendship. This will be the only warning you will ever get from me… don't FUCK with our relationship Dante, it won't end well for you." By now, Jason was more than ready to go back inside to be with Sam, but stayed to glare at the detective a little while longer for added effect. Jason said that it was a warning, but to him it was really a threat. Fuck with me and Sam, and I will fuck you up. Simple.

After Jason's speech, Dante let it soak in what he knew all along. Sam was off limits. A small part of him did entertain the idea of him and Sam being together, especially after they had been working close for the past couple of weeks, but he knew deep down inside that she would never be his. She would always belong to Jason Morgan. In a way he felt relieved, he really did love Lulu and he only saw his future with her, so than what was it about Sam that led him astray. Maybe Jason was right, that she was easy to love. Or maybe it was the fact that she was the detainable, the challenge that all men wanted. After talking to Jason, he realized that there was no challenge, there was no competition really. Riding down the elevator, he thought about how he would make up this betrayal to Lulu. True, he never did act on his feelings to Sam, but a part of him did however feel guilty. He would find some way to make it up to her and forever keep thoughts of Sam hidden away in his mind and in his heart.

Making his way into his bedroom, Jason opened the door and was in bliss at the sight before him. Sam was sleeping in their bed in only his black t- shirt. He walked closer to her, undressing down to his boxer briefs as he made his way to his side of the bed. Easing into the bed, careful not to wake her, he moved towards the middle of bed, wrapping an arm around her waist as he spooned her, drawing her towards him. Paradise. Heaven. Those are the only words that you could describe being with the person that you love. Taking a deep breath, Jason lowered his face to the top of her head and inhaled in all that was Sam, her scent, not the scent from the shampoo that she uses, but her scent, her life's fragrance. This was where he was meant to be, this is where they were both meant to be, together, wrapped up in each other's arms. And tomorrow morning, one visit to the doctor can either reassure that their life will go on as usual, or that one visit can obliterate all that they have worked for.


	3. Chapter 3

Patience. Patience is defined as the act of power of calmly or contentedly waiting for something due. To be a patient person means to calmly wait for something. According to Jason, there are so many fucking things wrong with that statement. Be calm? How the fuck is he going to be calm when he along with the reason for existence, Sam, are sitting in a hospital room waiting for Doctor Patrick Drake to come with the test results. Contentedly waiting my ass! And Power, power to what, power to wait? Yeah right! He has no more power to wait, he has no more power left in him, whatever power he had left was utterly spent keeping himself sitting in the stool next to her bed and quietly waiting. What he really wanted to do was destroy every fucking piece of furniture in this room in order to release all of his pent up frustrations. Frustrations from losing Jake, frustrations from waiting here for news, and frustrations on what comes next. What will come next? What will the test results show? If it turns out as he hoped, and that the headaches are just that, than he would consider himself unbelievably lucky. Lucky to know that the woman he loves more than anything is healthy and well. But what will come next if the tests are bad? How bad? Cancer bad? Tumor bad? Then what? Another thought, operable or inoperable? Oh God! Will she live, will she…. 'NO, can't think that way!'. He just lost his son, and if anything were to happen to Sam, he would lose himself too. Darkness would surely claim him. If something were to happen to her, he would bury himself in his work and pray and hope that the next bullet would end his life. 'NO STOP THINKING LIKE THAT!'.

Sam could see all the emotions that crossed over Jason's face and it made her heart break. She could see how the frustrations of waiting were taking a toll on him, his body tense, his fists clenching and releasing, his breathing getting labored, and all the emotions that flickered in his eyes. He was frustrated and he was pissed and there was nothing they could do about it. They are supposed to be patiently waiting but it wasn't working out as they planned. She was frustrated too but she tried with all her might not to show it. She was sitting on the hospital bed with her feet dangling and swinging back and forth over the side of the bed. Her hands were intertwined and place on her lap to keep with from ripping her hospital gown to shreds. She had been ringing on it earlier when she was in the MRI machine so tight that she had ripped her gown at the seams. What the Hell was taking them so long? She couldn't help it, all this stress of patiently waiting was finally getting to her and before she could open her mouth to voice her thoughts out loud, Patrick Drake and Robin walked through the door with someone else. Monica.

After closing the door, Patrick stood looking rather uncomfortable in front of his patient and mob enforcer boyfriend. Clearing his throat Patrick prepared himself to tell them the results. But how? How was he going to tell them what they had found? How were they going to tell them how they had missed it in the first place? He could feel his wife standing next time, giving him strength. "Ahem… I uh… I called Dr. Quartermaine in here as a consult, if it's ok with you two?" He said looking between a worried Sam and a confused Jason.

Looking at Jason, Sam just shrugged, it didn't really matter to her, as long as everything was ok. "Um… sure…" She looked over at her former future mother in law and smiled. "Hello Monica." She had always loved the older woman. It didn't matter that she wasn't with Jason at one time, or that she was the hit and run driver, Monica was always good to her.

"Hello Sam, Jason." She gave the couple a small smile, a mixture of feelings, sadness, joy, anger, regret. They were all jumbled inside of her and she didn't know what emotion to show, so she chose to remain neutral and emotionless, for now. "I'm just here to give my second opinion."

Second opinion? Those words immediately grabbed Jason's full attention and caused his heart to ache. Why would they need a second opinion? On what? He reached over and grabbed a hold of Sam's hands, he was grateful that she intertwined them together and held on tight. This is it. Whatever happens, they will do this together. "What's wrong with Sam?" He sounded a bit choked up.

Sam looked over at Jason after hearing the tears that clouded his question. She had a feeling for a week now that something was wrong with her and as she looked back at Patrick and Robin, she now knew that something was definitely wrong. One word came to mind, one word that would sense at seeing the sad looks to their eyes, no smiles, along with a second opinion. One word that would shake up her world. "Tumor?" She voiced aloud her thought. Seeing Patrick lower his head so that he wouldn't look her in the eye, to see her emotions, he softly nodded his head causing Jason to lose his breath next to her and squeeze her hand tighter. Seeing as he won't continue, she asked another question. "Is it operable?" She watched as he lifted his eyes to hers and nodded saying yes softly causing Jason to let out the breath that he had been holding. She proceeded to take a deep breath and question. "Ok, so what do we do?"

Taking a deep breath, Patrick gave the same speech that he would give anybody with this type of diagnosis. The only problem was is that this patient wasn't just anybody, these people before him were not just anybody. They were not really his friends but they have known each other for a long time, many years. Patrick had worked on both of them at one time or another, and even then, they were never just patients. And his wife, his wife was friends with both. So how do you talk to them as if they were regular patients? "Normally… we would operate to remove the tumor and the patient would go a few rounds of radiation therapy to kill the remaining tumor cells. As long as there are no side effects the patient should be just fine."

"Ok…." Sam looked over and smiled slightly at Jason, showing him her strength. "When do we schedule the surgery?" She asked turning back to Patrick.

Taking a deep breath and some more strength from his wife, Patrick tried to keep his emotions from showing. "Well… there's a problem…"

"Wait, I don't understand, what problem? You just said that it's a tumor, it's operable and after a few rounds of radiation therapy I should be fine. So what is the problem?"

Turning to Monica, Patrick wasn't sure how to say this next sentence. How was he going to tell them…. "Patrick, what's the problem?" Sam had broken through his thoughts. Turning back to her he spoke. "According to your blood work that we ran, we found that your HCG levels were high."

"What does that mean?" Sam looked between all the people in the room. She had a feeling of what that meant but she was afraid to voice her thoughts. Looking at the fallen look in Jason's eyes, she was exactly sure what to feel, but she knew it wouldn't be good. And Patrick's next words confirmed it…. "You're pregnant."

Pregnant? But how? Clearly she knew how, but after everything that her body had been through, how was this possible? "I don't understand… I mean how far along am I? We took a test over a month ago and it showed up negative…. How is this possible?" Her head spun in many directions, Jason, Robin, Patrick, Monica and back to Jason. She noticed that he was unbearably quite, why?

"Without doing a sonogram and just going on the readings from the HCG levels, I would say that you are about 5 or 6 weeks. It does state in your chart that your test that was taken on Valentine's day was negative, so you had gotten pregnant some time after that…"

"What about the explosion?"

"Since we saw the pregnancy test taken, we didn't feel that you needed another one. We only ran it for toxins and that's how we found out that you were drugged, there were traces of Chloroform in your system. And we obviously missed the tumor when we ran the CAT scan afterwards due to the size and position of your tumor. But the facts remain the same, you have a brain tumor and you're pregnant."

It was so quite that you could hear a pin drop. Her free hand, the one that wasn't holding on to Jason as if he was a lifeline, had unconsciously found its way to her stomach, caressing it, loving it already. He was right, the facts did remain the same but what now what. What could she possibly do now? Have the surgery? Radiation therapy? "How will the surgery and radiation therapy affect the baby?" She heard Jason call her name and she ignored it, she knew what he was thinking and for once it didn't matter.

Pregnant? Tumor? Operable? Radiation therapy? Each word had a different effect to his emotions. Pregnant: elation, joy, bliss. Tumor: grief, regret, heartache. Operable: contentment, gladness, health. Radiation therapy: sickness, likelihood for survival. But what happens when you mix them up. Each ingredient blended carefully into a pot, a pot made up of Sam's existence. What can happen if Sam goes through the surgery? He knew the answer, and he knew what her answer would be, he just hoped that he could talk to her to make the right choice. The only choice, the selfish choice, that would keep her forever by his side. "Sam…"

Ignoring Jason again, she kept her focus on Patrick as she unsuccessfully tried to pry her hand from Jason's grip. "Will I lose the baby?"

Choosing to ignore that question because Patrick knew that she would forgo the surgery if it meant her baby's life, he tried to reason with her. He knew Jason's choice as well, anything to save Sam's life. "Sam, if you don't have this surgery, the tumor will grow, the migraines will only get worse, and there is a chance that you and/or this baby will lose your lives. My recommendation is to have the surgery and start on radiation therapy as soon as possible…"

"But that could kill my baby…."

"Sam…."

"No Jason, I'm not having this surgery if there is even a small chance that my baby… OUR baby could die." She looked at Patrick. "What is the baby's survival rate?" When she saw Patrick avoid her eyes and look apologetically at Jason, she spoke more forcefully. "Don't look at him!" She snapped. "LOOK AT ME! TELL ME! What is the baby's survival rate?"

"Slim to none…" Words that Patrick would forever regret, especially seeing the pain that clouded Sam's eyes causing the tears that she had been holding break free.

"Sam…" Monica chose to interrupt. She had been ecstatic to hear the news of Sam's pregnancy but was entirely saddened about her diagnosis. She had just lost a grandchild and was about to gain another, when this devastating news came forth. She waited for Sam to turn towards her, her heart breaking at the tears that flowed down her cheeks as well as those that formed in her son's blue eyes. "Sweetheart… you're pregnant, which means that it could happen again. You Sam, can create another life, another child, even with your infertility, there are new procedures that could help. You have the power to create a new life, a new child, but Sam… no one has the power to create another you…" She reached over and took her free hand and gave her a gentle squeeze along with a reassuring smile. "After this is all done, after the surgery and after the therapy, and hopefully after you finally make me a mother in law, you and my son can start again, start over, build the family that you have always wanted…"

"At what expense Monica… at the expense of my child…" Sam released her hold on both mother and son and placed them protectively over her abdomen, as if shielding it from prying hands, hands that are waiting to take it away from her. "I never, NEVER thought that this would happen to me…" Looking back at Patrick. "What would you do? What would you do if I was Robin?"

"I would tell her to have the surgery." Patrick spoke without hesitation. He would rather have his wife alive and healthy by his side, he would never risk her health, as cruel as that may sound. He loved her too much.

Nodding, Sam looked over at Robin. "What about you? Would you have this surgery knowing that your baby's survival rate is slim to none?"

Robin first looked to Patrick then to Jason. Sympathy and apologies plagued her. Shaking her head she replied. "No." A firm but quiet whisper. She would do the same thing that Sam was doing, she would protect her baby at all costs.

"I have waited SO long for this baby and I am going to do every in my power to protect it, whatever it takes…."

Jason couldn't remain silent any longer. "Whatever it takes? Are you kidding me?"

"Jason, I am not having this surgery. I am not going to do anything that risks the baby's life…."

"What about your life? Huh Sam? What about our life?"

"We can get through this…."

"WHAT ABOUT ME!" Jason couldn't help but shout as he abruptly stood, causing the stool that he had previously occupied to go sailing behind him, hitting the wall with a loud thud. "I CAN'T…" He slammed his fist against his chest repeatedly. "I CAN'T GET THROUGH THIS! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU? HUH SAM? WHAT THE FUCK… am I supposed to do if you die?" His mother called him to interrupt but he wouldn't let her. "How am I supposed to live without you Sam?" He spoke softer not bothering to stop or wipe the tears that broke free. The feelings were too much to hold and the damn broke free, the damn of blinding tears. "I can't…. I can't do this…. I can't bear to watch you go through these migraines knowing that they are only going to get worse as your tumor grows. I can't bear to see you in so much pain that you pass out from it. I can't…. I can't bear to think of a life without you Sam. YOU are my whole world. You are the center of my existence and you are the air that I breathe. Without you…. Without you, I may as well let the next bullet take me."

"Jason…" His name was whispered in agony. She didn't want to think about dying, she didn't want to think about leaving him behind. She only wanted happy thoughts, thoughts of promises, thoughts of life and love.

"I can't Sam…" With his head lowered in shame at his weakness, he silently came to her and took a hold of her hand, placing it over his heart. He lowered himself to the seat, ignoring the sniffles around him, ignoring their saddened tear stained eyes. No one mattered, no one besides the woman in front of him. "I'm not strong enough Sam. People see me as this cold hearted enforcer an emotionless killer, but you… you are the only one that sees the true me, you are the one that knows my thoughts and sees my feelings, without you… without Sam…. I will be exactly what these people say about me. Without you in this world and in my life, I will be cold, dark, alone… I will be an emotionless killer. I need you Sam…" He couldn't go on, he choked on the sob that he had been trying desperately to hold, his head fell on her lap and he cried. He cried for her, for them, for their baby.

"Don't you want this baby?" She whispered. She was torn, seeing her strong enforcer cry tore her to pieces, pieces that she desperately tried to hold on to for his sanity.

Lifting his head, not bothering at wiping the tears Jason answered. "I want this baby more than anything Sam, but… not if it means that I lose you. I will be fine as long as I have you…."

"But I won't…." Her broken whisper interrupted him. "I won't be fine, I won't be able to live with myself if anything happened to this baby. Don't you see Jason, if I have this surgery and lose this baby, than I will lose myself. I won't be able to survive this, it means that I have failed, failed this baby and failed as a mother. I will only be a shell of the woman that you once loved. I can't… I can't do this."

"I love you Sam, I…. I don't want to lo…lose you." His head dropped to her lap again and he cried.

She gently ran her fingers through his hair, her tears dropping on his head, thinking of a way to make this better, thinking of something to say that would make him feel better about this. She leaned over and placed a small kiss to his head. Pulling back, her small hands framed his face and lifted it to meet her eyes. "You won't." It was a vow. She leaned in and placed a soft kiss to his lips, tears mixing, no longer hers or his but theirs. "I promise…" She whispered as she pulled back to keep a hold of his baby blue eyes. "I promise to fight Jason, I promise to fight with EVERYTHING that I have, I will make it through his…" Broken words came through her sniffles. "I WILL make it through this, I will fight, for us, for me, for this baby and for you. I promise." She vowed and kissed him again. "I promise." She repeated and deepened the kiss. "I promise…" She was comforted only when his arms wrapped around her tiny frame, comforted by the strength and warmth that he gave her, comforted by their unity. She would fight and she was thankful that she wouldn't fight alone.


	4. Chapter 4

_"_ _I love you Sam, I…. I don't want to lo…lose you." His head dropped to her lap again and he cried._

 _She gently ran her fingers through his hair, her tears dropping on his head, thinking of a way to make this better, thinking of something to say that would make him feel better about this. She leaned over and placed a small kiss to his head. Pulling back, her small hands framed his face and lifted it to meet her eyes. "You won't." It was a vow. She leaned in and placed a soft kiss to his lips, tears mixing, no longer hers or his but theirs. "I promise…" She whispered as she pulled back to keep a hold of his baby blue eyes. "I promise to fight Jason, I promise to fight with EVERYTHING that I have, I will make it through his…" Broken words came through her sniffles. "I WILL make it through this, I will fight, for us, for me, for this baby and for you. I promise." She vowed and kissed him again. "I promise." She repeated and deepened the kiss. "I promise…" She was comforted only when his arms wrapped around her tiny frame, comforted by the strength and warmth that he gave her, comforted by their unity. She would fight and she was thankful that she wouldn't fight alone._

That promise was made 24 weeks ago. 24 weeks ago, the love of his life promised him that she would fight with everything that she had in order to survive the brain tumor that shook their world. 24 weeks ago she promised to fight for him, for herself, and for their baby. 4 weeks after that promise was made, Jason had finally fulfilled one of his promises that he had made to her, he married her. He had proposed over a candlelit dinner of Chinese food on his coffee table in the living room of his penthouse, successfully and purposely recreating that same night when he first proposed to her all those years ago. That was the first time that he knew he wanted to marry Samantha McCall, she had always accepted him for he is and loved him unconditionally. The wedding was small and intimate, held in the Quartermaine's rose garden as a favor to Monica, in a way honoring Lila, Emily, and Alan. Edward was beyond ecstatic, his grandson came home and it was all because of a tiny, petite brunette. She had the choice, to go anywhere in the world, but she chose to stay home, she chose to have the wedding in the rose garden, where all their loved ones could watch. Edward walked her down the aisle, tears in both of their eyes. She had done the unthinkable, she had helped reunite a family, a family torn apart by tragedy after tragedy. He knew he had himself to blame but his mother loved him the same, unconditionally. Sam had stood before him as a vision in ivory, her soft hair in curls tumbling down her back with flowers spread through it and vowed to take him as her husband. She vowed to love, honor, and obey him for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as she lived. And now seeing her lying practically lifeless on her hospital bed, Jason prayed with everything that he had in him that these weren't the last days of her life. Afterall, she had promised and he hoped that she wouldn't go back on her word.

She had done the best that she could, she ate right, plenty of rest, she even went as far as confining herself to the penthouse, working from home while Spinelli worked at the office. The only time she would leave is to visit her mothers and sisters or Carly and the boys and even then, she was followed by Max and Milo to make sure that she was safe. She never took unnecessary risks, even in the kitchen. They had moved Spinelli across the hall into Sonny's old penthouse, giving Sam the privacy and relaxation that she needed. Jason even went as far as moving her hot tub to his balcony to make sure that she was always calm and happy. Everything was going smoothly, they even fixed up the nursery, pink for a girl, they had been overjoyed when they found out when Sam was 20 weeks pregnant. They both couldn't help the tears that fell when they heard their daughter's strong heartbeat or when they saw her on the sonogram. One could say that life was going great except, Sam's migraines had increased to almost an unbearable pain. Spinelli had done his research and came up with many herbal and safe concoctions to help alleviate the pain, and to their surprise it always helped. So everyday he had been in charge of mixing Sam's herbal drinks so that she would fight the migraines before they had a chance to accelerate. With the migraines, there were some other symptoms that they couldn't avoid: nausea, dizziness, and blurry vision. Those days she would just make sure to lounge around, either on the couch or in their bed. Never once did Jason have to tell her to rest or to take it easy, she just knew. She promised that she would fight, and she had lived up to her word until last night….

Last night was the worst night of Jason's life, last night when he came home from work, he found Sam lying on the floor near the desk with blood trickling down from her nose. For a second, for a split second, he stood there completely paralyzed, his entire world was lying on the floor and he was scared to death. He thought that that was it, she was gone, their baby was gone. He quickly snapped out of it, scooped her up in his arms, and ran out the door with Max and Milo in tow. When they reached GH, she was immediately taken back into surgery, the baby was in distress and they had to do an emergency C- Section. Jason knew the risks, he knew the danger to Sam, but their baby was only 32 weeks along, she had 8 more weeks to go, 8 more weeks and she would have been fully grown and healthy. Thoughts of their baby that they lost crept up in his mind and he kept on pushing them back. This wasn't the same, this won't turn out to be the same. This time they had guardian angels, Baby Lila, Lila, Emily and Alan on their sides. He knew that they would keep their daughter safe, but what about Sam?

He was forced to wait, he couldn't go back there, so he along with the rest of the Davis, Corinthos, and Quartermaine families were waiting in the waiting room. After an hour, he looked up to see Robin running towards him, instantly he was on his feet along with a few others, meeting her halfway. His heart had pounded in his chest at an unfathomable rate, worried for his wife and child. She had congratulated him on the birth of a beautiful 5 lb baby girl with a head full of dark hair and vocal cords that would demand attention from anyone. Relief flooded through him, Sam had kept one promise, to fight for her child, but what about herself? Robin had informed him that Patrick had to start immediately on the brain surgery to remove the tumor, even before Kelly had the chance to stitch her up. The tumor had grown considerably. She had said it looked good, but Jason couldn't help but to still worry.

That was last night, today, he found himself sitting by her bedside, holding her hand and praying that she will keep her promise and survive this. She looked impossibly small, lying in this hospital bed, but she would always look beautiful. He thought back to their wedding, they had decided to wait until after all this drama to take a honeymoon, and now he was thinking about where to go. Hawaii was the only place that he could think of. A knock on the door broke him from his thoughts. Looking over his shoulder, he sees his mother making her way in. "No change." He felt the need to inform her.

Letting out a frustrated sigh at the current situation, Monica walked around the other side of the bed, towards the monitors. "No…" She shook her head. "No change." She looked back to her son, her heart breaking at the sadness that is displayed there. She could tell that he was exhausted but she knew that he wouldn't go home even if she had called security on him. "Where's Alexis? Did you get some rest?"

"Alexis went up to the nursery to see the baby."

"Did you get any rest?" A shake of his head answered her question. "Jason, you can't do this to yourself, you need to get some rest, you need your strength back. Have you even gone up to see your daughter?" Another shake. "Why not? She's beautiful Jason, she looks just like Sam…"

"That's what I'm afraid of…." He whispered ashamed.

"What do you mean?"

"What if Sam never wakes up? What if she's in a coma? None of the doctors know? It's all up to her at this point." He stood up and paced the hospital room, needing to release his frustrations out somehow. "How am I going to go one without her? How can I look into my daughter's face, Sam's face, and live without my wife? I can't…. I can't…." His last words came out in a whisper, choking on the sob that he was about to unleash any second now. His mother sensing his grief, triggering her own, wrapped her arms around her son and engulfed him in a motherly hug. The pain unleashed, and Jason dropped his head to her shoulders, crying for them, for the pain, for his wife, and for his daughter that he afraid to hold. He wrapped his arms around, her sobs mixed in with his, taking whatever strength and comfort that they could get from one another.

"Jason…" Monica finally pulled back wiping her eyes. She then brought her hands up to cup his face, wiping his eyes as well. Gathering all the strength she had, she took a deep breath, preparing herself to fight for her son, even if he had given up. "You need to go and see your daughter. She has her family all around her, Edward came by at the crack of dawn and won't leave her side. She has me, Alexis, and the rest of the family, even Tracy is there, but she needs you Jason, she needs her father." She reached down and grabbed both hands. "Now come on, we'll send Alexis down here to wait with Sam while you go and meet your daughter." She was grateful to see him nod. He let go of her hands and turned back to the room. She watched as he swept her hair from her eyes, kiss her forehead, and tell her that he would be right back. Monica took a few steps back and led him through the halls of GH to where his daughter was sleeping peacefully.

Just as he feared, his beautiful baby girl was the exact replica of her mother. She didn't open her eyes, but he knew that if they were dark brown as her mother's, then he would truly be lost. How could he look into his daughter's eyes everyday and see her mother if he lost her? He knew that he shouldn't be thinking that way but he couldn't help it. His daughter was wrapped up in a pink blanket and because she was only 32 weeks along, she was in an incubator. There were monitors attached to her tiny little feet and he thanked God that she was at least breathing on her own. "Would you like to hold her?" He heard the nurse ask. At this point his vocal cords weren't working, for he knew that if he opened his mouth, another sob would break free. He simply nodded and sat in the rocking chair next to her incubator that Alexis had vacated earlier. He could see his family watching him from outside the window, holding on to each other. As the nurse gently placed his daughter in his arms, she backed away, giving him his privacy. Before she had left, she had told him that his daughter still had no name. As he looked, he was suddenly staring into her deep dark brown eyes, so much like her mother, the sob that he had been holding was finally free. He lifted his daughter up to his face and inhaled all her essence, her essence that was made from him and Sam. "Ohh G… Godd…." He cried for a moment. When his cries subsided, he pulled her back down on his lap and just stared at her, stared at her for what seemed like hours. Taking in every single detail of her face, her hands, her body, her toes, her breathing, listening to the heart monitor beeping, everything. And when the nurse finally returned so that he could feed her, she asked him if he came up with a name. The only name that he knew her mother would have wanted was Danielle, for her beloved brother Danny. And seeing this tiny bundle of life eagerly taking the formula from the bottle he held, looking so much like her mother, and when she closed her eyes, she was the exact clone of the baby that they both had lost, Lila. And there it was, her name, Danielle Lila Morgan. Honoring Sam's brother, their daughter, and his grandmother, all of whom he loved and loved them in return unconditionally.

He couldn't help the smile that crept on his face as he made his way towards his wife's room. He felt a twinge of guilt at being able to sit and hold his daughter, when his wife was fighting for her life. For the first time, in a long time, he was hopeful, but…. When he saw the sea of doctors and nurses suddenly flooding his wife's room, he felt his soul slowly leave his body. He picked up the pace and ran to her room and the scene before him paralyzed him. He was ice cold, just like the killer he knew that he would be if his wife ever left him. He could see the monitors flat lining, the doctors and nurses working frantically, Robin pushing a syringe into her IV and he could see Patrick, paddles in his hand to shock Sam back to life. He knew that they were talking, barking out orders, he saw Alexis and her daughters sobbing behind him, his mother and the rest of the family along with them, but no sound came to his ears, no sound but he blaring sound of the heart monitor flat lining. A constant beep, a constant steady sound, signaling that Sam's heart stopped. Twice they shocked her, twice and the beep was still there, he was completely frozen, completely paralyzed, but when he heard Patrick start to say the words "Time of Death…" Jason lost it.

"NOOOOOO!" He ran to Sam's side, picking up her lifeless hand in his, begging her pleading her to be awake. "NO Sam you can't leave me, wake up baby come on…. You promised me, you promised me that you wouldn't leave… you can't leave me…." He looked back up at Patrick, tears clouding his eyes, raining down his cheeks. "Do it again."

"Jason, we tried…."

"DO IT AGAIN! SAVE HER LIFE DAMN YOU!" He yelled, pleading to be heard. He couldn't do it, he wasn't ready to say goodbye, he wasn't ready to live without her, he never would be.

"Charging, charging, CLEAR." Jason heard Patrick order. Again flat line. "Jason, I'm sorry…."

"DON'T FUCKING SAY THAT! DO IT AGAIN! ONE MORE TIME! Patrick please…" He sobbed out on her shoulder. He heard Patrick's shouts again and this time he pleaded with his wife. "Please Sam, please baby, come back to me, come back to us, to Dani…. OH GOD Sam, you need to see her, she's beautiful, looks just like you…. Please baby, don't leave me…. You promised…." His voice was breaking, his tears were pouring, and when he heard Patrick say "CLEAR!" Jason took a step back, hoping, praying, that Sam would live, and when he finally heard the beep of her heart start up he fell to his knees and thanked the Lord above for bringing his wife back to him. He felt his mother's arms close around him, for a second he accepted her warmth, but soon he found himself jumping up and rushing to Sam's side when he heard her moan. He held her hand and prayed. "Thank you, thank you God." His lips were forever glued to her hand. "Please Sam, wake up… come on baby you can do it…" As soon as he saw her dark orbs flutter and focus on him, a smile broke free, a rainbow that broke free right after a storm. "Hi…" He whispered and when she whispered back he lost it one more time.

"Hi you…. I told you… I promised I would fight…." She whispered as she squeezed his hand.

"Yes baby… yes you did." He leaned up and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." And before she was going to ask the question about her daughter, she looked up towards the door and saw her mother in law wheel her in. "Oh…." Sam held her breath, tears sprang to her eyes. So this is what it feels like to finally see your daughter for the first time.

"I pulled some strings and brought you a visitor. She can only stay for a few minutes, but I knew that you would want to see her right away." She looked up at her daughter in law, more like her own daughter. "I'm sorry Sam, I won't be able to pull her out so that you could hold her, she's perfectly healthy, but we need to keep her in here to keep her temperature up. " She wheeled the incubator closer to her. "But you can put your hands through here and touch her, if you want."

Without a moment to lose, both mother and father placed their hands through the holes of the incubator and held on to a tiny piece of their daughter. Tears never ceased from both sides. Smiling wildly through the tears, Sam looked up to Jason. "What did you name her?"

Shrugging, he was worried if he had made the right choice or not. "The only name I could think of, Danielle Lila Morgan."

"Oh Jason, its perfect…. She's perfect." She reached her free hand to his. Holding it tightly, she pulled him onto the bed next to her as they moved to the edge of the bed, turning the incubator so both parents could hold on to the life they created.

Letting go of her hand, he wound it around her body, holding her tight to his side being mindful that she had just woken up. One hand on his wife and the other on their child. "No Sam, you are perfect."

Leaning up, she placed a soft lingering kiss on his lips. "WE are perfect…. Perfect."

A perfect life made from promises of love, honor and survival. Jason knew that this moment with his family along with everyone of their family members and friends in the room, would be forever embedded in his mind. This one unforgettable perfect moment. She had promised to fight, promised to live, promised to love, and she had honored it. Another promise was made that day, a promise of a bright future, filled with happiness and love. And that was defiantly one promise that Jason would spend the rest of his life fulfilling.

The End


End file.
